Laura Snape and the Basilisk
by Laura-the-Rickmaniac
Summary: Laura Snape comes to Hogwarts...
1. Death of a Hero

Disclaimer - This story was written for me and my boyfriend's enjoyment . We enjoy Writing it so much that we want you to enjoy it too. The entire Harry Potter universe belongs to J. K Rowling except our characters Laura Snape and Joe Potter. Please R+R!  
  
Curse of the Basilisk's Eye  
  
Dedicated to my girl-friend, Laura  
  
CHAPTER 1- DEATH OF A HERO  
  
Voldemort rounded on the lady cowering in the corner and hissed, "Where is.the girl?" The lady screamed louder and held on to a chair leg nearby, but Voldemort simply dismissed it with a jet from his wand. "What do you want with Laura?" she squeaked, her eyes darting helplessly from wall to burning wall. She had a headache and her heart was racing. "I believe she may be the one I am looking for." he hissed, yet angrier this time. He raised his wand, the lady screamed, and a jet of green light issued from its tip. The house buckled, then collapsed, leaving only a smouldering wreck.  
  
"Some say she was a hero. A martyr, if ya will, and the kid weren't even in the place! Few folks say they heard a few screams from the top window, but I reckon that's just talk of the town."Old Tom was seated on a barstool in an old wizarding pub, the Leaky Cauldron, and the bartender, a Mr Donald Fisher, after Tom (the old bartender) passed away, was cleaning the same glass over and over, his face transfixed upon the old punter. The other patrons were seated in a circular fashion around the stool. "What happened to lil Laura then?" one of them piped up anxiously. Old Tom grunted. "Dunno. Maybe she din't die, like in Harry Potter's case, or maybe she did.Anyways, I reckons that's enough stories for today. C'mon, alls o'ya back over t'ya tables."The wizards moaned, but moved back over to their tables. Soon the talk had started up again.  
  
"Let's see.powdered root of lionfish." Severus Snape stood over the desk in his study, thinking hard. He was trying to concoct a fairly difficult potion, but his daughter was hanging around in the background, staring at him. "What do you want, Laura?" he said, coldly. "I am busy," "I know, Dad, but I just wanted to know." she said. She was cut off, however, by Snape's unforgiving stare- those cold, black eyes. "Sorry," she mumbled, and she went out, closing the door behind her.  
  
Laura Snape was a pretty girl, about 5'4, and she was 14 years of age. She had black hair, and brown eyes. She wore a black robe, draped over her most of the time, like her father- but the thing that separated the two most were their personalities. Laura was an outgoing, feisty young woman who often got into trouble at her old primary school, which was a Muggle school, so much more was frowned upon there than was at Hogwarts.  
  
Severus Snape, however, as I'm sure you'll already know, was the exact opposite. He was cold, withdrawn and sarcastic, scolding anyone (or thing) that managed to somehow gain entry into his quarters. He loved his daughter, deep down, however he brushed aside this feeling and carried on with his studies. As he read down the list of Gryffindor's he would be teaching Defence against the Dark Arts to this year, his lip curled into a slight smile, more of a smirk. "Joe Potter.Another of our new.celebrities," 


	2. Birth of a Witch

CHAPTER 2- BIRTH OF A WITCH  
  
Laura already knew of her heritage, of course, and soon began to learn great many magic spells. She knew already Wingardium Leviosa- the levitation spell- Accio- the summoning spell- and lots more. She also looked forward to a week from now, the 1st of September, which was when she would be starting Hogwarts, the Wizarding School for magical persons.  
  
September 1st finally came, and she was waiting outside by the car for her father to go to King's Cross-Station. She was allowed to sit with him in the Staff's Car, but she preferred to sit with the children in the back of the train. She wandered vaguely to the last car, meeting a fairly thin boy with glasses and a straight cut of blond hair. "Hi. This seat taken?" she asked, looking at the seat next to him. He shook his head and moved across slightly to make room for her.  
  
"So, you new at Hogwarts?" she said to him. He nodded. "Know what house you'll be in?" she asked him enthusiastically. "Nah. What about you?" he asked lazily. "I reckon I'll be in Slytherin. My dad was." she said wistfully, staring out at the blurry countryside. She sighed, and turned back around. "Your.dad? The boy asked. "Yeah, that's right. He was here himself a few years back," she told him. "Who is he?" "Severus Snape," she said. Joe felt a chill run through his back, but chose to ignore it.  
  
The train arrived at the station, and Joe got off, avidly talking to Laura about the new year. A giant, if not real giant-blooded, man stood before them. He had a large beard, beetle-black eyes and messed-up brown hair. He was Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of the keys at Hogwarts.  
  
"All right, there, Joe?" he shouted above the other crowd of chattering first-years. Joe waved back, and Hagrid led them across to the lake.  
  
It was a magnificent sight. The lake was covered in stars, and the night sky reflected off the rippled image of the beautiful sky-blue water, now blackened. Hagrid led them to a set of finely crafted wooden boats, which looked worn although brand new. He shouted to keep order, then boomed, "All right, then, two to a boat, don't want yer gettin' lost, now, do we?" he chuckled. He rowed the front boat, while Joe got into a boat with Laura and the others sailed off. 


	3. The Sorting Hat's Decisions

CHAPTER 3- THE SORTING HAT'S DECISIONS  
  
After they had departed from the bank where they left their boats, they came across the castle. It was a truly magnificent castle- turrets pointed high, the white marble proudly erect upon the great grassy hill which it stood. Doors and windows covered every side of it, and there seemed to be some sort of magical barrier emanating around the whole castle. "D'you feel that, Laura?" Joe muttered. Laura, although amazed that he knew her name already, nodded and shuddered.  
  
The new first-years were led into a large and fairly brightly-lit hallway, whereupon Laura looked up at the ceiling and gasped in wonderment. The whole ceiling was awash with stars, or that's what it looked like. Someone whispered behind her- "I hear they bewitched the ceiling to look like the sky," a girl hissed. "Where'd you learn that?" she heard Joe's voice inquire. "Heard it from one of the fifth-years. Think his name was Potter- Harry Potter," she whispered. Laura heard Joe's mark of exclamation and smiled to herself. "! That's my brother," he said. Laura gasped, unknowingly. "What?" he asked. But before they could continue, a figure swooped down upon them like a hawk.  
  
It was Minerva McGonagall. She wore emerald-green robes, and her hair was tightly bunched at the back. Joe thought she didn't look like a person who was gonna take any shit from any students. He shivered again. She wore spectacles, and she had a stern but fair face. She led them through the starlit hallway to the Great Hall. "Welcome," she said, "back, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The first-years, looking around them still with expressions of awe on their faces, were led to a small, patched and very frayed hat on a stool. It was curling a little at the edges.  
  
"This is the Sorting Hat," McGonagall explained. "You will be sorted into your houses, according to your thoughts and your nature. Now, I will read the students' names in alphabetical order. "Aaron, Stuart!" she called, and a small but tough looking boy stepped forward and jammed the hat onto his head. "HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted, and Aaron stood up and walked over to the Hufflepuff table reluctantly. Joe was sure he caught a look of severe embarrassment as he looked toward the table. "Acciecio, Luigi!" she boomed. A perfectly formed Italian boy stepped forward to have himself sorted. "RAVENCLAW!" the hat boomed. Luigi went over to the Ravenclaw table quite proudly.  
  
The list ran all the way down. Joe watched, amused from the Gryffindor table as another boy walked forward and sat on the stool. The hat hovered above his head in McGonagall's hands before the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" Joe clapped with all the rest. Joe took a glimpse toward the staff's table. Here he saw Albus Dumbledore, with a look of mild amusement on his face, he saw Professor Flitwick, or rather he didn't see Professor Flitwick. He had to look under the table to see that Flitwick had forgotten his cushions. Then his eyes cast themselves across toward Snape. He was the Potions teacher, and as Joe looked at him, he stared back with a look of complete loathing. Joe remembered his brother Harry. Then there was Professor Trelawney. She wore the same mystic shawl that she always did and she was wearing an expression of total "I'm-better-than-you" ness. "Snape, Laura!" This jerked Joe from his hazy world, and he cast his eyes alertly toward the stool. As Laura took a seat, although he had hardly known her for a day, he couldn't help but think she was very pretty. At that moment a scream erupted from the Gryffindor table, followed by howls of laughter. Joe looked at the seat next to his brother and found (although he already knew) that it was Ron Weasley, Gryffindor's mischief- maker.  
  
In between howls of laughter Ron shouted, "Snape has a daughter? That's Hilarious!" He screamed again and threw back his head, laughing hysterically. "Who'd be mad enough to sleep with snape?!" Laura jumped off the stool and ran (very speedily, Joe noticed) toward Ron. "Ow!" he yelled, as she punched him in the stomach. She delivered another blow to his head and then to his stomach again. She then kicked him in the shin. "MY MOM WOULD, AND SHE'S DEAD!" Laura roared. Snape rose from the staff table, and went to see his daughter. "What do you think you are doing, Miss Snape?" he smirked. "Dad! I was just." "I do not care what you were doing, little missy. You will come with me to my office." Snape said coldly. He led Laura off down the corridor, and instantly she knew this had to be a portent of doom. 


	4. Snape's Threat

CHAPTER 4- SNAPE'S THREAT  
  
Laura was led through a dingy corridor with cobwebs in the corners. Snape passed Filch's office, McGonagall's office and finally. "My office," he said coolly. He led Laura into the office and beckoned for her to sit down on one of the armchairs. They were squashy, comfortable armchairs, but the chairs hardly fitted the office. The walls were painted black and there was what horribly looked like real skeletons hanging off the walls. The office had no windows, and it was designed in a circular fashion. "So, young Laura, why did you do that to Mr Weasley?" Snape asked, sitting back in the chair he was seated in. He let Laura explain, or rather gave her time to.  
  
She didn't like the air hanging around the room; it made her feel sick. It was one of disturbance and tension, and yet Snape seemed to like being here. "I'm waiting, Miss Snape," he said coldly. She took a deep breath, and said, "He was dissing mum, Da- I mean Sir, and I had to go and smack him one, I had to!" she shouted. She paused- for one she needed air, and for another she wanted to see the effect she was having on Snape. She saw a look of horror first, then sarcasm, then finally anger. "You have crossed the line, Laura. I do not tolerate behaviour like that. However, although I regret it, it is the school policy to let the first- years get away with one act of mischief. Just one, however, Laura, and it is my duty to inform you that stepping out of line once more will result in further loss of points and a detention. Do I make myself clear?" he hissed. Laura balled her hands into fists. "Yes Sir." she muttered.  
  
Just as she was about to leave, McGonagall ran through the door with the Sorting Hat in her hands. "Severus!" she gasped. Snape looked in her direction. "Yes, Minerva?" he replied. She straightened up, and tried to make herself look a little more respectable. "The child has not been sorted," she said stiffly. "She has, I have just told her that she will get detention if she does it again," Snape said in an icy voice. "No, I mean Sorted! Into the houses!" she said angrily. "Ah, yes. Minerva, if you will," he said. She gave Laura the hat, who put it on her head. The hat seemed to do some thinking, before finally shouting, "SLYTHERIN!" McGonagall put her hands over her ears. "Old-Man Bucket! Keep it down in there!" she whispered to the hat. The hat shook, and out popped a small blue imp. It had a yellow light on its head and very squashed features. "Sorry, I get paid for yellin'!" it said. It popped itself back into the hat and seemed to stay there. So, Laura was in Slytherin. That meant she couldn't see that boy from Gryffindor anymore. Snape seemed to read her thoughts. "Do not associate with any Gryffindors. You have been warned, little lady." 


	5. Dumbledore's Decision

CHAPTER 5- DUMBLEDORE'S DECISION  
  
Laura walked back up the dingy corridor in silence, kicking a few stones scattered on the ground. She reached the Great Hall, and caught Albus Dumbledore in the middle of an announcement. ".And so, through this method we intend to raise behaviour standards. Now, the food!" Laura looked nervously toward the Gryffindor table to see Joe had met her gaze. He beckoned her toward the table and she went toward him. "What's going on?" she muttered, taking the empty seat next to him. "You don't wanna know.," he said, gnawing on a chicken leg. She looked at him, and he looked back at her with cold, piercing eyes. Those eyes reminded her of someone.  
  
"I do! What is happening!?" she stressed, taking his chicken leg and eating it herself. "Dumbledore's bringing back the cane." he said sadly. She fell off her stool, but thankfully Snape was engaged in conversation with a chair, so he didn't notice. "WHAT!?" she bellowed. She climbed back onto her stool, and resumed eating. "But.but.if Dumbledore brought back the cane.wouldn't that be kinda illegal?" she questioned. "According to old man Dumbledore, no," he said casually. "You're awfully calm." she grumbled, but she turned back to her chicken and no more was said.  
  
Filing out of the Great Hall in houses was often a disorderly business, and taken lightly by most of the first-years. Hermione Granger and Jebediah Booker (prefects to Gryffindor and Slytherin, respectively), however they loathed each other, were both pleased with the first-years' initial sincerity toward the school rules.  
  
Joe wearily climbed the staircase up to the dormitory. He had been counting the number of steps he had climbed and wondered how the builders could build such steps without collapsing down them and dying. Then he realised he was in a school supported by magic, so the stairs had been built the same way, probably. 237, 238.  
  
After entering the dorm, he collapsed in an armchair and sank into its depths. The dorm was a comfy place. The beds were four-posters, but the covers were made out of phoenix down, the most comfortable material used to make bed covers. The mattresses were dragon hide with no scales, which was nice to lie on.  
  
The floor was clean, so Joe sat there and stared out of the window. He could see the moon, even though it was raining very hard, and very fast. He turned suddenly, for he could hear panicky footsteps outside the portrait hole. A very flustered and red McGonagall entered. "Potter! Where's everyone else?" "The common room, Professor. Why?" he asked, but he was pulled away by McGonagall and led (twice as fast, he couldn't help but notice) down the stairs to the hallway outside the Great Hall.  
  
The Bloody Baron's ghost (if you could call it a ghost anymore) was lying rigid on the floor, a greyish-white tint to it. The Bloody Baron wore a look of complete horror on his face, and a microphone lay next to him. (How a ghost could carry a microphone, Joe couldn't figure out). He picked up the microphone and discovered it was magical, and had a playback feature. Joe played it back.  
  
"Ssssssss.Nooo! You cannot touch me, I am a gho- not the curse. Please, not the curse! Nooo."  
  
McGonagall shook her head. "The Curse of the Great Serpent is upon us once more." 


	6. Snape's Annoyance

CHAPTER 6- SNAPE'S ANNOYANCE  
  
Laura and Joe had been quietly subdued since the incident, but they still met outside of classes to talk. "Heard about the Baron, then, Joe?" Laura muttered. "I was there, Laura," he said coldly. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "Heads up, Joe, here comes my dad," Laura said.  
  
Snape entered the corridor, looming over the first-years. He strolled along the row of little faces staring right back at him. "Do not do anything stupid, Laura," he hissed as he passed her. He went down the line until he found Joe, which wasn't hard because he was standing right behind Laura.  
  
"Ahh. Joe Potter. Had a good time annoying Professor McGonagall last night, did we?" Joe looked at Snape. "Professor, I think you'll find that-ow!" He stopped abruptly upon receiving a kick in the shin from Laura. "Don't push yourself," she whispered.  
  
They stepped inside the dungeon. It was a fairly roomy dungeon- shaped in a rectangular fashion, it had stone walls with slime trickling from cracks in the ceiling. However, it had never been designed to be a dungeon, Joe thought, as small hollows had been made for the desks and a whiteboard was screwed on that looked like it had been there for years. Snape moved toward this board.  
  
"Now, Potions is a complex yet elaborate and very rewarding branch of magic. It is hard, I will admit, to brew such delicate arts, but it is a fine way of studying and an excellent method of demonstration. It does not dabble in all this jiggery-pokery with wands and fancy words and such. It creates a force so powerful that I could teach you to brew such things as disease, bottle fame and even put a stopper on death." he said mystically.  
  
Snape took a pen and began to write in heavy gothic cursive. Joe began to take notes, but found that already, Snape was staring right at him. "Yes, Sir?" he said, standing up. Snape curled his upper lip. "Why are you in my class, Potter?" he asked coldly. "To learn, Sir," he said casually. "When I want you to write, I will tell you so. Understand?" "Yes, Sir," he said. Snape motioned for him to sit down.  
  
"You are to make a Solving Solution. It can cure any wound except death, but if used improperly, can kill." Snape explained. "You will find a list of all ingredients in "Moste Potente Potions." You will need powdered spine of Grindylow, chopped root of Yggdrasil caterpillar, and essence of wolfsbane. Start!"  
  
Joe and Laura were given the ingredients and Joe gave Laura half and took half himself. They emptied the ingredients into the cauldron, and the potion turned a nasty greyish colour, when Moste Potente Potions clearly indicated that it needed to be silver. "Reckon we'll get marks for that?" Laura muttered. "Dunno." Joe replied. At this point, the cauldron exploded.  
  
Little flicks of potion flew everywhere and muffled screams could be heard from the other first-ears. Snape's face turned from an expression of complete bemusement into a look of severe anger. "Run!" Joe shouted, and together they ran, out of the cold and draughty dungeon out into the warm, refreshing corridor- where they bumped right into Professor McGonagall.  
  
"What are you two doing, Potter, Snape?" she barked. "You should be in class," "Professor, we- ow!" Another kick from Laura meant he really should stop. "Fine! I will take you both back to class, and we can see what is the matter!" she shouted, and she frog-marched them both in the direction of the dungeon. "What the.?" 


	7. Trouble

CHAPTER 7- TROUBLE.  
  
McGonagall's hawk-like eye surveyed the scene of chaos and madness she found before her. She saw black shards of potion, she saw first-years cowering under their desks at Snape's hurried command. Grey potion covered the walls like wallpaper, and in the middle of it all stood a very angry Snape.  
  
"Severus! What is happening?" she said stiffly. Joe could see, however, that her face was not stiff- on the contrary, she was just about ready to explode (no pun intended) with laughter. "These abysmally foolish children-" here he looked at Joe and Laura- "seem to have mixed their potions wrong. They have managed to destroy everything they have managed to do so far," he said it coolly, but a vein was throbbing in his temple. Joe knew it couldn't be long till he broke.  
  
"I shall see to a punish-" McGonagall started. She was cut off, however, by a finally irate Snape. "You will not!" he screamed holding on to his hair. "These children will come to my office IMMEDIATELY! The cane shall be waiting!" With this he strode off in the direction of his office.  
  
"Looks like Professor Snape wants us in his office," Joe said with a hint of sarcasm touching his voice. They walked off together in the direction of Snape's office. Snape stood in the middle of his circular office with a thin wooden stick in his hand. Joe winced, but Laura looked at it with a look of complete awe on her face.  
  
"Bend over, boy, and pull your trousers and underpants down. I'll give you seventeen of the best!" he shouted. Tears sprang to Laura's eyes as Joe, helpless, obeyed Snape's command. Screams of pain filled the room as Snape whacked Joe across the butt with the cane. The sequence grimly repeated itself- swish, crack, owwww!  
  
Joe pulled his trousers back up and, close to tears, exited the room. Laura was left alone in the study with her father. "Laura, hold out your hand," he hissed. Sobbing, because of Joe's pain and what was to be her own, she held out her hand. "Wait!" she snapped. Snape, taken aback from her sudden yelp, stopped and stared at her. "I didn't do anything!" Snape rolled his eyes. He sat on the desk and stared right through her. "Little missy, I was simply saying that your friend-" "HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING EITHER!" she shouted. Snape's face contorted into an evil smile. "You really need to learn some manners, Laura." He said. "Perhaps a few lashes of the cane will teach you something!" "That won't solve anything!" she screamed. "You teachers are all the same. It's always me, me, me!" Joe's ear was pressed against the door and upon hearing the scream of Laura to the cool voice of Snape. He rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Laura! You'll only make things worse!" he thought. But Laura wasn't losing this one. Not now.  
  
"I will not tolerate behaviour like this, Laura. Hold out your hand. I said hold it out!" Snape hissed in her ear. Laura tutted, but held out her hand. "Even hitting me with this abomination won't silence me, Dad. I'm the last angry-ow!- woman, and I won't stand for it!" Laura shut up, however, when her father brought the cane up again. Swish-crack-owwww!  
  
Joe walked back toward the door when he heard its rusty hinges creak. "Laura!" He ran toward her and said, "What did that monster do!?" he shouted when he saw the red, raw stripes across her hand. "Caned me," she said casually. Her eyes were close to tears, but she remained calm and cool. "Oh no!" he shouted. "Afraid so." she muttered. They walked back toward the Great Hall together, in silence. Joe then muttered, "I'll get that bastard.even if he is your dad!" 


	8. The Dream

CHAPTER 8- THE DREAM  
  
Joe was in the hospital wing, having his wounds attended to, so Laura had to wander around Hogwarts' classes alone for the next few days. During this period of time, a simpering little rat named Malfoy was following her around the school, taking every chance he could get to admire her "radiant beauty" everywhere she went.  
  
"Listen, Mort, you little bastard. Leave me the fuck alone, OK!?" she screeched, running to avoid Mort's simpering behaviour. Mort swaggered after her, his lip curled not unlike Snape's always was. He ran after her through the brightly-lit, smart red corridor, and finally caught up with her when she had hidden in the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom.  
  
"I.saw you and.that Joe Potter.kid," Mort said breathlessly. "Is.something.going on?" Laura, on the spur of the moment, ceased to speak and wore a look of complete horror on her face as she realised what the little brat had seen. "You saw us.by the lake." she said, lost for words. Mort nodded triumphantly. "That was just a hug." she uttered. However she already knew it was too late. Mort's face broke into a look of complete joy and he sped off at full speed toward the direction of the Slytherin common room. "Mor-Mort-MOOOORTT!" she screamed after him. Damn that bastard Mort, she thought.  
  
Joe had pretty much recovered from the vicious caning Snape had given him, and was glimpsed at times by Laura, with his books, or heading to the toilet, or in his common-room. Sometimes she entered the Gryffindor common room secretly, but Joe never knew.  
  
The Gryffindor common room was a cosy place. It was shaped like a square, and it had a large notice board on one wall and a very suspicious-looking bookcase on the other. Large, squashy armchairs were situated in the corners of the room, and some in the middle, around a medium-sized table. The floor was made out of stone, and was very clean and polished. Pictures of old wizarding greats hung on the noticeboard, along with the odd lesson timetable and various other notices.  
  
Joe was collapsed in an armchair one Tuesday evening, doing his Charms homework. Laura snuck up behind him and whispered, "Boo!" Joe jumped a mile and plunged his hand into his robes for his wand. He swivelled round and aimed it right at her face, putting it down when he realised it was just her.  
  
"What d'you think you're doin'?" he hissed, putting down his quill and staring up at her. She smiled innocently. "Comin' to find you, where else?" she said sweetly. Joe shuddered. "You'll never guess what people are saying about us!" she giggled. Joe sighed deeply. "What." he breathed. She laughed again. "They think we're an item!" she giggled. "Do they." Joe, said sarcastically. "Yeah. Isn't it silly?" she said. "I guess so," he said lazily. He went back to his homework.  
  
Laura was in the dormitory that same night when sleep overpowered her. She staggered over to her four-poster, changed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed. She pulled the curtains around her and sank her head into the pillows.  
  
She was all alone, in a burning wooden house. A man with long, sleek black hair and red slits for eyes was standing over a smaller, thinner woman with black hair and green eyes. Her hair flowed to her shoulders and her eyes penetrated even the thickest of gazes. She was Laura Snape's mother.  
  
"What do you want with Laura?" the woman screamed. The man's eyes narrowed. This must be Lord Voldemort, Laura thought. She shuddered. "I believe she may be the one I am looking for." he hissed. His tone was angry, and impatient. The woman screamed, and a jet of green light issued from Voldemort's wand. The house seemed to dissolve, and around her came.Snape's office!?  
  
What am I doing in Snape's office? She thought promptly. She was standing in front of herself, and Snape shouting at her. "This must be me." she muttered angrily. I've been such an idiot. Snape drew out the cane again, and the scene strangely fastforwarded to her getting caned on the hand. She observed Snape's face, and saw that it was not contorted with sick happiness, instead with an ugly kind of regret. She suddenly resented everything she said to him earlier.  
  
Suddenly Joe appeared in the study, with a look of horror on his face. "Laura! Come quick! It's happened again!" The two scenes of the dream she had already been in since it started seemed to swirl together, and Joe stood in the centre, shouting, "Laura! Lauraaaaaaaa!" What can I do! WHAT CAN I DO! "Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!" 


	9. The Premonition

CHAPTER 9- A PREMONITION  
  
Laura sat up in bad, sweat trickling down her forehead and tears running down her cheek. The other three Slytherin girls had their curtains open and were staring, wide-eyed in disbelief, at her. Footsteps were heard from the stone wall outside, then muffled voices- one of Snape's, and the other belonged to Joe.  
  
"I will sort it, she is my daughter-" came Snape's curt voice. "She's my friend!" came Joe's concerned tone. "Well, you can leave now, I have the password here- wolfsbane!" "Guess what, 'Prof.', you just let me in by mistake! HAHA!" Joe pushed past Snape and kneeled, panting, by Laura's bed. Snape followed soon after.  
  
Laura stared up at her dad. He stared back. There was a split second of tension, then- "Oh, Dad!" she cried. She buried her face into his robes, and Snape, unlike Joe's initial instinct, held her tightly. "It's OK, now, you have me here." he muttered. She buried her face deeper, until she stopped crying.  
  
"You dreamt, Laura. Nightmare, was it?" Joe asked in the same concerned tone she had heard him talking to Snape in. She nodded vigorously. "It's OK." he replied. She sat, her face buried in Snape's robes, silently sobbing. After what seemed like an age, she pulled away from his robes.  
  
Snape moved forward, and pulled her forehead toward his mouth. "What you doin', Prof.?" Joe asked. "Kissing my daughter goodnight, Potter," he said coldly. He kissed her on the forehead, and then hugged her again. She didn't respond- she was too happy that her father had finally forgiven her.  
  
When she awoke, it was morning. Snape sat fast asleep, snoring loudly on a hard wooden stool that Madam Pomfrey had supplied him with, obviously. She wasn't in the hospital wing, so she wondered how they had managed to get them. "Prof. here was so worried about you that he went down to fetch a stool. When I told him I'd be staying as well, he ranted on at me about how "his daughter wasn't ready" and how "I was manipulating you". I told him to shut up and get me a stool, and he did," Joe explained. "I think Snape reckons we're together as well."  
  
Snape woke up promptly and stared at Joe. "What is he doing here?" he muttered to Laura under his breath. Laura looked at him. "I want him here," she replied. Snape rolled his eyes. "I see!" he snapped. "So it is true!" Laura's mouth dropped open in surprise. "No!" she stammered. Joe looked in Snape's direction. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Laura leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "What was that for?" he asked, taken aback. Snape was now fuming. "Being there," she replied promptly.  
  
The next Charms lesson was all right, because the Gryffindors took it double with the Slytherins. Joe and Laura took a seat together and looked toward the front. Flitwick stood on about seventeen cushions in front of the board.  
  
The classroom was a quirky one- shaped like an oval, it had all sorts of magical barriers around it to stop charms cast in there getting out of hand. All over the wall there were posters of "Rules in the Charms Room" and the such. Flitwick's desk was piled high with paperwork and mouldy apples. It had a ton of books on there, all of them about Charms.  
  
Flitwick was teaching them Wingardium Leviosa today, which wasn't a problem for Laura as she knew the charm perfectly, off by heart. She taught Joe the swish-and-flick manoeuvre, and he got it almost instantly. They were just about to practise it on each other for kicks when-  
  
"Flitwick! Tell your class to come quickly! It's an emergency!!" McGonagall burst in through the door, wearing the same flustered look she had worn when she had come into the dormitory when the Bloody Baron had first become petrified. A feeling of dread sank through Joe's heart.  
  
He and Laura ran through the corridors connecting different floors, and there they saw him. Mort Malfoy. He was wearing the same look of horror on the Bloody Baron's face, and he was frozen in a position of running. His body was completely grey, his face unmoving and lifeless.  
  
"Another one for the curse." muttered McGonagall. 


	10. Taking Action

CHAPTER 10- TAKING ACTION  
  
Over the next few weeks, Hogwarts was decorated and ready for the big Halloween feast. Orange posters of pumpkins and such decorated the walls, while decorative splashes of orange paint were situated on the ceiling. Even the fifth-years were scared when spooky laughs emitted from the helmets of the suits of armour.  
  
Joe was in the common room. He was resting his left arm on the table, a quill in his right hand, scribbling furiously. Finally, he sat back up. "Aaaah! I can't do this!" he screamed. Laura was standing directly behind him. "What's wrong?" she inquired. Joe stood up and moved his shoulders around in a circle. He looked at her. "I'm gonna have to do something soon." he said. Laura stared right back at him. "Don't do anything stupid," she warned. He nodded, then collected his books and ran out of the common room.  
  
Mort Malfoy held a note in his hand. On the note, scribbled in his hieroglyphic like writing, were the words- Antibody, need poison to work. Joe sat beside his bed, looking puzzled. Mort Malfoy wasn't a likeable person, he was a complete sicko, but Joe needed him to work out the clues. He kept staring at the piece of paper over and over, trying to figure out what it meant. Puzzles weren't his forte.  
  
Laura looked over the note over and over again. "Maybe he means you need a sample of the Basilisk's venom to make the curse go away?" she wondered out loud. Joe shrugged. "Dunno," he said casually. He flicked his eyes over the note. McGonagall came in, but she wasn't wearing the flustered look. Instead she held a note in her hand, which she waved about like a battleaxe.  
  
"Halloween Ball!" she shouted. She stuck the note on the noticeboard, then crossed the room toward the two. "I put you in Slytherin!" she barked at Laura. Laura's eyes darted shiftily across the room. "Umm.. I-I was.asked to be in here! Yeah, that's right. The Slytherin common room's under decoration, so I needed to go to my closest friend's room, so I chose Joe and came here!" she said uneasily. McGonagall observed her suspiciously, but said no more.  
  
Joe went over to the noticeboard and plucked the notice from it. He scanned it with his eyes than looked at Laura, wide-eyed. The only words he could utter made no sense. "I'm not.fancy dress." he muttered. "What's wrong?" she said. She walked over to him and picked up the note. She read it, and burst into fits of laughter. "Fancy dress!?" she screamed. She stopped laughing abruptly, and then burst into fits of giggles again.  
  
"Laura, this isn't funny!" he said seriously. His cheeks were bright red. "W-Why?" she said shakily. She was on the verge of laughter again. Joe blushed furiously. "A ball means getting partners." he said. Laura moved beside him. "You're joking!" he said, catching on. She shook her head. "It'll be fun! C'mon!" she laughed. "The ball's next week!" Joe shook his head. Sometimes, he thought, just sometimes, I'd like to be an ordinary Muggle who didn't have a clue what was going on. 


	11. The Halloween Ball

CHAPTER 11- THE HALLOWEEN BALL  
  
Joe and Laura spent the next few hours assembling costumes for themselves. They found some unused red cloth in a drawer in the dormitory, and used it to cut a red mask out of. Joe decided he would go as himself to avoid confusion and humiliation, and Laura would go as herself also.  
  
As the hour drew up to midnight, the first-years chattered excitedly about what the music was going to be like. A rumour went round about Joe and Laura, and what they would be doing after the ball, but they ignored it and stuck their noses up at it. A congregation of first-years sniggered childishly as they walked past Joe and Laura, but Joe moved his hand into his robes to withdraw his wand and they stopped.  
  
A strange thing happened on one occasion- Joe plunged his hand into his robes to shut up Millie Parkinson, who made a snide remark as they passed her. He tried to withdraw the wooden weapon, but instead found his hand upon something much heavier. Out of wonderment, he pulled it out, and found his hand not upon a wand, but upon- a golden, glittering sword.  
  
The handle was engraved with glittering emeralds, and its hilt was golden. Joe, gasping, pulled out the blade from under the hilt, and gasped again. It was polished silver, and it gleamed and shone just like Godric Gryffindor's sword, which belonged to his brother. Harry had used the sword to fight off the Basilisk in his second year.  
  
The first-years' mouths dropped open in horror. Joe grinned at them, and decided to take the initiative. "Yeah, that's right, you little wankers. Clear off or I'll show you some true martial arts!" he warned menacingly, waving the sword about. The first years screamed, turned on their heels and ran. Laura laughed. "Where d'you get that from?" she said to him. He shrugged happily. "Dunno!" he laughed. They walked off together in the direction of the ball.  
  
They arrived arm in arm, as the fourth-years all had to as a mark of showing who their partners were. Snape stood at the door, and was just about to walk over to his daughter when the doors to the ball opened. Joe gasped, even though he was there for the third-year ball- he had somehow sneaked in.  
  
The hall was decorated very well. Banners hung from the ceiling- "Happy Halloween!" and the walls had been completely covered in orange. It didn't look like paint, however- it was some sort of magical decoration. Laura looked all around her. Just as she turned to talk to Joe, she found he wasn't there.  
  
He was over at the punch table, getting a glass of punch. He filled a nearby paper glass, and sat at a chair by one of the tables. All the people who were here together were romantically dancing. That's not for us, he thought.  
  
Laura soon came over to join him in a glass. "So, how do you think it's goin'?" he asked her. She surveyed the couples happily, without answering. "Wanna dance?" she said finally, when a rock tune struck up from a skeletal band on the stage. He turned toward her slowly. "Laura, we're not in.ow!" She had grabbed his hand and was leading him over to the dance floor.  
  
He was making a complete fool of himself. She knew how to dance- he didn't. Mort Malfoy was looking at him and giving him sneers. He remembered the sword and smiled pleasantly at Mort. Mort seemed taken aback, but he turned to dancing with Millie again and ignored Joe.  
  
The skeletons struck up a flamenco tune, and Joe smiled secretly. He could dance flamenco, and he suddenly (surprisingly) found himself wishing (or hoping) that Laura could, too. There were three skeletons- one wore red pelvis armour and neck armour, one wore yellow, and one wore blue. The blue skeleton had what seemed like fizzy pop in his helmet, and Joe asked Laura who this was.  
  
"The Sanbone Trio," she muttered. "They're a trio of artificially-living skeletons whose sole purpose is to play music. I kinda like them," she said happily. He smiled at her. "I like flamenco," was all he could say. Laura beckoned him to the middle of the dance floor, where everyone else was tripping over his or her shoes. The Sanbone Trio were doing something very clever with maracas and bones, making a funny bone-type sound.  
  
Laura and Joe danced, making everyone else in the room both sure that they were an item (even though they weren't), and green with jealousy. Laura and Joe didn't care, though- they had found something they were both good at, and they were determined to share it.  
  
The music ended, and Joe and Laura went to sit down for another glass of punch. They found Mort Malfoy and Millie Parkinson kissing behind them. "Sick bastards." he muttered. He downed his second glass of punch, and stared at the Sanbone Trio. "What are you sneering at, Potter?" Mort Malfoy's voice came from behind Joe.  
  
"I'm sneering at you, Malfoy," he said. "Got a problem?" "Yeah. I don't like people like.well, people like her staring at me," At this he motioned toward Laura. Joe dropped his glass on the floor, and ran out of the doors to the outside. The Sanbone Trio's music struck up inside the ball again, and Mort Malfoy sniggered.  
  
Joe returned, about an hour later, with his sword and a wand. "Well, Malfoy? Ready to give up?" he sneered. "What the.?" Malfoy careered out of the way as Joe swung the sword toward him. "POTTER!" Snape came running toward him from the direction of the staff dancing floor. Joe smirked a little. "Yeah?" he said casually, leaning on the sword's handle. "You do NOT bring weapons into the ball!" he shouted furiously. Laura ran in front of Joe, as Snape had put his hand into his robes. "No!" Laura shouted. Snape rolled his eyes. "Sticking up for your boyfriend, Laura?" he smirked. Laura, who wasn't thinking straight, shouted, "Yes!" Then she clapped a hand to her mouth.  
  
"And stay out, both of you!" roared Snape, spit flying out of his mouth. He closed the doors to the ball, and to the inside and warm world.  
  
"I still say we should've let Malfoy go," Laura muttered. Joe nodded. "Yeah, but we can't really do anything now, can we?" he grumbled. They had been sitting on a bench, and Joe stood up. "Well, Snape's kicked us out, might as well do something to pass the time." he muttered. He kicked a stone, then there was an embarrassed silence.  
  
"Laura?" Joe asked her. They were sitting on the bench again, huddled close together for warmth. She raised her head slightly. "You know when you said I was your boyfriend. was that true?" he asked timidly. "No." she said embarrassedly. "Are you sure.?" he asked her. He moved closer to her, and she knew what was going to happen next.  
  
Their lips touched, and from the instant they did, it felt good. They stayed, kissing, for about fifteen minutes, then put their arms round each other and their kissing became more passionate.  
  
Snape was on the staff table in the floor, feeling a little harsh. He had neglected his daughter. He didn't care much for that Potter boy, but his daughter needed fatherly attention. He didn't like to think of the word, but she needed.well, love.  
  
As he stepped outside, he looked toward the bench, and saw that she was already getting enough of that. "POTTEEEER!" he barked, fuming red. Joe's eyes widened and he pulled away from Laura. "Professor Snape!" he said. Laura and Snape both could hear the scared tone in his voice. Laura smiled at him nervously, and he smiled back. Snape grabbed Joe by the shirt collar, and Joe wiped the lipstick off of his lips. Joe was being taken to the unforgiving lair of Snape. 


	12. Snape vs Snape

CHAPTER 12- SNAPE VS. SNAPE  
  
Snape dragged Joe by the shirt collar to his office, taking him through the strangely quiet corridor. Joe wondered what was happening- he remembered Laura, and that was about all he cared about right now. Snape looked at him as if he was a piece of dirt and half-threw him into his circular office.  
  
"So, Potter," he said angrily. "What was that I just saw?" Joe's eyes darted helplessly from wall to wall. Out of Snape's window he saw Laura sitting on the bench, he saw the lights from the ball (which, obviously, had struck up with rumours about Joe and Laura) and he saw the Sanbone Trio on the stage (just about).  
  
Finally, Joe decided to take the sarcastic approach. He couldn't get in any more trouble, so why not make the most of what he'd got? "Oh, come on, Professor," he said coolly. "Thirty, maybe thirty-five years of experience AND a daughter? How did you get that daughter of yours if you didn't know what I." "SILENCE!" Snape roared, flicking saliva all over the place. Joe rolled his eyes. "Prof., could you try not to get spit all over my shirt?" he asked casually. Snape advanced on the boy, but from outside came the sound of footsteps.  
  
A very flustered and hot Laura burst in through the door. She gasped at the scene before her, and ran in front of Joe, barring Snape's way. "What are you doing, little missy?" Snape asked her angrily. Joe walked forward, to her side. "What's it look like?" he said. Laura looked at him and shook her head. Joe looked back at her with puzzlement, then withdrew out of the door and ran back to the ball, reordering his shirt and tie, which were all over the place after the moment on the bench.  
  
"Sticking up for him again, Laura?" Snape hissed. Laura could tell Snape was cooling down, although it was a definite promise that if he saw Joe again, Snape would grab a very large mallet and do something very nasty. Laura stared right through Snape. She wasn't going to take this anymore. "Listen, Dad. What happened tonight was no mistake, I guarantee you. If you're not willing to help us then I won't be a part of the family anymore!" With this she stomped out of the room to follow Joe back into the ball. 


	13. Joe's Birthday

CHAPTER 13- JOE'S BIRTHDAY  
  
Laura scanned the ball, and found Joe sitting on a table, alone, staring at the Sanbone Trio, who had struck a heavy-metal song up with guitars. Laura wandered over and sat down next to him. He looked up, and looked back down again. "I'm such a scum." he muttered. Laura pushed his chin back up. "Look at me, Joe. You're not a scum.OK?" Joe found that tears were streaming out of his eyes. "Yeah, right! Look at what I've done to you!" he cried, running out of the ball.  
  
Mort Malfoy turned his head. "Oh! Laura, what are you doing?" He wandered over to her and sat next to her. She rolled her eyes. "Oh, fuck off, Malfoy, you little bastard!" she shouted, and she also exited from the ball. Mort Malfoy gained a look of complete puzzlement. "What can I do right around here?" he muttered to Millie, who shrugged.  
  
The next morning, Joe awoke to find a pile of presents around his bed. There were an assortment of shapes- rectangles, long, thin, squares, triangles. He picked up the only long, thin one that was there and unwrapped the red and green wrapping paper. He gasped as a long, sleek broomstick rolled out onto his bed. He picked up the broomstick, and turned it around in his hands, as if expecting it to melt away, it was so sleek. He searched among the ruined paper for a gift tag. From: Harry, the paper said in slanted, yet neat handwriting.  
  
Joe wondered why he shouldn't be the happiest teenager in the world. He had just been picked for the house team, and he had this wonderful shiny new Nimbus Firebolt. Then he remembered the night before spent with Laura. His brain suddenly turned numb, and suddenly he thought of a million things he could have said to her to make it better.  
  
Laura, however, was sitting in her dormitory, staring at her broomstick that she had got in a very expensive-looking shop last year. She was also thinking of the evening before, but she didn't think it was a good idea to go and talk to Joe, for he wasn't in a very good mood right now. She picked up her own broomstick, and looked at it fondly. First Quidditch match of the season soon. Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Well, at least she didn't have to face Joe.  
  
Joe, obviously, didn't walk with Laura in the corridors any more, but had to endure countless first-through-third year taunts about his new "girlfriend". Little did they know that them even talking about Laura made his eyes fill up with tears. He would just run to the classes he took and try to put on a brave face.  
  
The classes had just finished, and with a start, he remembered the other presents he had received. He ran up to his dormitory, and grabbed three and placed them on his bed. The first was a rectangular shape. He unwrapped the present, and a box of fudge fell onto his bed. "Ho-hum," he muttered.  
  
The second was a square. A box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, he guessed. He unwrapped the packaging, and it was a giant packet of sherbet lemon. He licked his lips.  
  
The third was a rectangular shape again. Looks like a book, he thought. He unwrapped the packaging, or rather started to unwrap it, but he noticed the gift tag and was overcome with emotion and happiness. From: Laura. On the second line was written-  
  
Sorry.  
  
He continued to unwrap the packaging with the enthusiasm of a Muggle at Christmas, and he watched as a box with holes in it fell to the bed.  
  
He opened the box. Inside was a kitten. He looked at it adoringly, then picked it up and hugged it. "I'm gonna call you Flash." he muttered under his breath.  
  
Snape, however, was feeling extremely guilty about the caning he had given his daughter following the ball. He remembered his daughter's yelps in between sobs, and he remembered clearly what she had said. "I-ow! Love him-ow! Why am I- ow! Getting caned for- ow! Something I believe in!? Aaaah!" She had then ran out of the room, sobbing.  
  
Snape decided to go in and comfort his daughter. He went regally into the Slytherin dormitory and found his daughter sobbing on a bed. He went over. She spotted him, and looked back down at the floor again.  
  
"Come on, Laura. I-" he started. Then he spotted the red, raw marks on her hands and was suddenly overcome by a sense of guilt and grief. He picked her up and sat her on his lap abruptly. "It's OK." he kept muttering. "Don't worry." 


	14. The First Quidditch Match

CHAPTER 14- THE FIRST QUIDDITCH MATCH  
  
The next morning, a letter came round the Gryffindor table with the announcement of the new Gryffindor squad. Joe gazed at it with mild interest, then scanned the list of the teams. Harry Potter- Keeper. Katie Bell- Chaser. Angelina Johnson- Chaser. Fred Weasley- Beater George Weasley- Beater Joe Potter- Seeker  
  
Joe's eyes widened with horror as he read his own name on the bottom, as the Seeker. He had never played as Seeker before- how was this possible!? Harry leaned over next to him. "Seeker, huh?" he said dismissively. Joe stared at him. "Harry, I've never played Seeker in my life! How-" "Quit moaning, kiddo, and get on with it!" Harry laughed, slapping Joe on the back.  
  
The Slytherin team was also on the list. Joe read the names with disgust, until he read the number 6 on their list.  
  
Draco Malfoy- Keeper Marcus Flint- Chaser Adrian Pucey- Chaser Mort Malfoy- Beater Millie Parkinson- Beater Laura Snape- Seeker  
  
"Damn!" he cursed under his breath. "Damn! Damn! Damn!"  
  
The two teams walked out onto the pitch to tumultuous applause. Draco lead the Slytherin team with a proud, full-of-himself look and Harry lead the Gryffindor, with a look of complete loathing in Draco's line of movement. The audience stands were erect on either side of the pitch, and a scoring marker had been placed below the Gryffindor stand. Behind this marker stood Lee Jordan, the excellent (if somewhat annoying) Quidditch commentator.  
  
"And Gryffindor and Slytherin walk out onto the pitch, ladies and gentlemen! Can you all hear me? I'm your commentator, Lee Jordan!" A round of applause from the Gryffindor team, while Slytherin booed and hissed. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Weasley, Weasley and Potter. Another of Gryffindor's best sides, of course-" McGonagall stood beside him. "Jordan!" she snapped. "Sorry, Professor, sorry. So, Slytherin team then- Malfoy, Flint, Pucey, Malfoy, Parkinson and Snape. Slytherin have a record of being the 'dirty, cheating' team-" "JORDAN!" "Sorry!"  
  
So, the teams lined up either side of Madam Pomfrey and awaited further instruction from her. She looked at the tension between Draco and Harry, and sighed to herself. "This is not going to be easy." she muttered. She took a deep breath and her eyes darted from team to team. "Mount your brooms!" she shouted, blowing her whistle.  
  
"And the two captains are off!" Lee Jordan shouted enthusiastically. The two vice captains (namely Joe and Laura) gave nervous glances at each other, and kicked off shortly afterwards. The air seemed a lot more unforgiving now Joe was in it, not staring at it.  
  
He took regular glances from the top of the match, and the circling players throwing the Quaffle back and forth to each other. Lee Jordan was on the edge of his seat, and Professor McGonagall stared intently at the teams, looking for any sign of trouble. Joe noticed, with a sad kind of irony, that Snape was in the stands, cheering his daughter on under his breath.  
  
"And the Quaffle passes from Bell- back to Johnson- back to Bell- ow, that's GOTTA hurt!" Lee Jordan said sympathetically through his mic. McGonagall frowned at him, but Joe could tell that she felt the same way as he did. "Pucey gaining possession of the Quaffle again- passing it on to Flint, then back to Pucey- wow!" A Bludger had pelted toward Flint, knocking him off of his broom. George Weasley smiled apologetically toward Joe. "Didn't see him!" came a faint shout from George Weasley's direction.  
  
Lee Jordan's eye glinted against something in the sun. "The Snitch?" he shouted excitedly through his mic. The Snitch it was- and it was flying very, very fast. Joe and Laura both spotted it, and straight after the Snitch they both went- hurtling at it at a rate of knots. Joe didn't see Mort Malfoy.  
  
Mort sniggered, flew up behind Joe and gave him a sharp club on the back of the head. Joe's shriek of "Aaaaaaaahhhh..." Echoed all around the stands as he went plummeting down at what could have been 200, maybe 250 miles an hour? Laura's continuous screams could be heard, Mort Malfoy's laughs. "You bastard." were his last words as he lost all conscious thought. 


	15. Laura's Depression

CHAPTER 15- LAURA'S DEPRESSION  
  
Laura had to walk around Hogwarts' many halls alone, her eyes bright red, scowling at anyone who walked past her looking happy. Her eyes kept darting from side to side, as if expecting to hear the tell-tale rush of footsteps beating on the carpeted floor, or his voice, soothing and soft against the hard stone of her feelings.  
  
Joe, however, was up and about- well not about- in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey kept coming back and fluffing his pillows and constantly talking about how he "needed rest", but he kept resisting and wanting to know what happened in the Quidditch match.  
  
Laura was walking back from the toilet one day when she heard Joe's voice from the hospital wing. "Listen, I don't wanna rest, OK!?" She was overcome with happiness and rushed into the hospital wing. She pulled up a stool next to Joe and sat next to his bed.  
  
"What happened in the match?" he asked her. She blushed guiltily. "I caught the Snitch by accident." she said sheepishly. She began to explain, but Joe grabbed her hand. "No need!" he laughed, and just as he did, Snape came in.  
  
He walked (or rather swept) over to the bed, and looked at his daughter. She looked back at him, and he sat down rather stiffly next to her. He nodded duly at Joe. "Well done in the match, and happy birthday for tomorrow," he said. She beamed at him, and hugged him. He smiled secretly.  
  
"Umm..Madam Pomfrey! Yo! Over here!" Madam Pomfrey looked in Joe's direction and walked briskly over. She obviously did not like being addressed in this manner. "Yes?" she said icily. "Can I get a check on when I'll be outta here so's I can see my friends again?" he asked her. She rolled her eyes. "About a week." Joe gasped and his mouth dropped open in surprise.  
  
"A week!?" Laura shouted when she was next visiting Joe. He nodded grimly. "'Fraid I'm gonna be in this hellhole on your birthday, babes." he said toughly. She shed a tear. "But." He silenced her with a hand. "I know, but hey! Look on the bright side, least I'm not dead!" She nodded sadly. 


	16. Laura's Birthday

CHAPTER 16- LAURA'S BIRTHDAY  
  
Laura awoke the next day to find a small heap of presents at the foot of her four-poster. She pulled them onto her bed and began unwrapping. The first one she unwrapped was in a small box, a rectangular velvet box. She opened it curiously, and gasped at what she saw inside.  
  
It was a beautiful golden necklace, with a silver serpent as its ornament. It had a pure gold chain and the serpent was made out of silver. She searched the wrappings for a gift-tag, and as she picked it up, she was almost crying with happiness as she read the name and message in very neat handwriting. Joe. It said on the nametag. She read the message down the bottom- With all the love it is possible to give.  
  
A sound of an opening door told her that Snape had arrived, bearing a- well, what seemed like a cage with a cloth over it? He walked over to her bed. "Laura- for you," he said triumphantly, whipping the cloth off the cage. Underneath the cloth was a beautiful snowy owl.  
  
She gasped with amazement and began to ask Snape where he got it, but he seemed to read her mind. "Diagon Alley," he explained. "The man gave it to me for free, for some reason. Then he muttered something about retirement and vanished." Laura beamed up at him and then looked in puzzlement at her new owl.  
  
She looked at Snape. "What about a name?" she asked him. He furrowed his brow in thought. "Hecate?" he finally suggested. She smiled at him. "Ok," she said.  
  
He spent the rest of the day with her, occasionally going out to fetch her some food, or drink. A couple of times she asked for Joe, but he refused this request. When she asked why, he declined comment. "Laura, do you plan on seeing that boy at all?" he asked her in the afternoon/evening, at about 5 o'clock. "No," she lied. Snape's eyes moved toward the door at that point, as a knocking came from it.  
  
"Yo! Prof.? Laura? You there, guys?" Joe's voice came from behind the door. Snape's face contorted into a look of utter disgust, but Laura's face turned to that of delight. "Come in!" she shouted happily. Joe walked in through the door, buckling slightly under the weight of it. "Am I disturbing you?" he said cheekily. 


	17. A Midnight Visit

CHAPTER 17- THE MIDNIGHT VISIT  
  
"Well, I just popped in to say hello, so I'll be off now," Joe said. He opened the door with a little difficulty and then he was heard running off down the corridor back to the hospital wing. Snape looked sourly back at the door. He shuddered.  
  
Laura looked happily at the door, contrary to her father's evil look. She giggled, and grabbed her father's arm. "You need to grow up, Pops. You know what I think?" Snape's sour face broke into a very, very small smile. He dashed it away and moved over toward the window.  
  
Laura walked toward the door, and pressed her ear against it. She was surprised to hear Joe's voice arguing with Mort Malfoy outside the Slytherin common room. "She don't wanna see none of your ignorant little shit family, Malfoy, so fuck off before I smack you one!" shouted Joe angrily. A muffled yell came from behind the door, and footsteps. Snape began to stand, but forgot about it.  
  
"Laura, I really must be going now." he muttered. She nodded slowly, and he swept across the room and down the stairs back to his potions class.  
  
Midnight slowly crept across Hogwarts, and Laura sat shivering in her bed, contented but cold. Then, suddenly, she heard a faint tapping on the glass of the window. She looked up in shock, but the shock faded as she made out the figure at the window. "Joe.It's only you," she whispered as he crept over to her.  
  
"Yeah. How ya been on this fine day?" he asked nervously. An electric sort of tension built up between them, and they both could feel the love slowly building up in the atmosphere. "Fine." she said casually. "Well," he said, "I forgot to give you your present!" He put his arms round her and they started, again, passionately kissing, the way they had outside the ball.  
  
Laura's mind was racing. She had hardly known this boy for a month and already.? However, she knew it felt good, so she let herself fall under the spell and she fell backwards, lying on the bed.  
  
When they finally stopped, Joe sat up and breathed heavily. Laura looked at him lovingly. "So," she said to him, "when did you figure out that you loved me?" Joe looked up at the ceiling in thought. "'Bout a week ago, at the ball," he calculated out loud. She smiled. "Me too."  
  
"I'd better go!" he said, shocked, looking at the time. It was a quarter to one- he should be in his dorm, McGonagall would be round in ten minutes! He opened the window, turned round, gave Laura a nod and a thumb up then swung out of the window. She fell backwards again, drowning in bliss.  
  
Joe arrived at the window of the Gryffindor dorm, opening it and zooming right back into bed, quickly. Seconds after he had come back in, McGonagall opened the door and walked in. He closed his eyes quickly. "Satisfactory," she whispered, and she backed away and closed the door. Joe sighed with relief. "Close call," he muttered. 


End file.
